1. Field of the Invention
The area of the present invention relates to a multifunction office system and, more particularly, to a user interface having a collection of different interface elements for such a system.
2. Background Art
As more and more members of today's workforce have begun working out of their homes, a need has arisen for multifunction devices which incorporate two or more types of traditional office equipment within a single enclosure. One of the first such devices was the integrated telephone/answering machine. Although originally designed and used as a stand-alone device, the answering machine was quickly integrated with the telephone to provide a single, integrated device. More recently, equipment such as facsimile machines have been combined with telephone/answering machines to provide multifunction communications devices. In addition to home offices, such devices are used in a variety of small businesses.
In addition to the integrated fax/phone/answering machine, the personal computer has become a familiar fixture in home offices and small businesses. Typically, the computer will be equipped with a fax/modem, allowing for the transfer of electronic documents. Some personal computers also are equipped to operate as a telephone and digital voice mail system.
Some manufacturers have begun offering integrated office systems that combine many of the above features. For example, the QMS 2001 Knowledge System PC, available from QMS, Inc. of Mobile, Ala. combines an incoming/outgoing fax, a laser printer and a copier with a personal computer. This type of integrated system provides a consumer with a single piece of equipment capable of performing many of the tasks required in an office environment. However, prior integrated office systems of this type often prove intimidating to persons with little or no computer experience since the systems employ user interfaces which resemble those found in personal computers.
A user interface is something which bridges the gap between a human user who seeks to control a device and the hardware and/or software which actually controls the device. The familiar keypad of a touch tone telephone and the alphanumeric keyboard associated with a personal computer are such user interfaces. In addition to hardware components, graphical user interfaces have become an increasingly common feature of personal computers. Such interfaces are provided either as built-in portions of the computer operating system, as in the case of the MACINTOSH computer available from Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., or as add-on software products that can be purchased separately.
Regardless of whether the user interface is a hardware device or a software program (or, as is increasingly the case, a combination of both), the purpose of the user interface is, as indicated, to bridge the gap between the human operator and the device being utilized. For example, graphical user interfaces used with personal computers often have the ability to initiate execution of other, so-called, "applications programs". Examples of application programs might be spreadsheets, word processing programs, database programs, etc. The process of initiating execution of an application program is typically handled through the use of small graphical symbols known as "icons". The graphical user interface displays the icons on the computer screen, one icon for each application program that can be run. The human user initiates execution of an application program by selecting the corresponding icon, most often using a pointing device such as a mouse.
A conventional graphical user interface such as described above significantly reduces the amount of information that a user must recall in order to effectively use the computer. For example, instead of remembering the name of an application program, and the location of the program on a particular disk, the user need only remember that a particular icon is associated with the application program.
Like their graphical counterparts, hardware user interfaces also allow for ease of operation. For example, the familiar mouse associated with a personal computer allows a user to position the cursor and select from among the various icons displayed on a screen. By using the mouse the user is able to avoid having to perform a number of complex keystrokes.
In addition to graphical user interfaces, computer systems often provide user assistance in the form of help functions. Such functions are available in many operating systems and application programs. For example, some systems provide context sensitive "balloon help" where a user can learn more about an object represented on a computer screen by simply pointing to the object. Other applications programs provide a help menu which allows a user to select a help topic. Still other systems will ask users if they need help if it appears that they need help.
Conventional help functions are useful adjuncts to system and application software. They provide a convenient access to helpful information without requiring a user to study a detailed reference manual. However, such help functions tend to be quite limited. They typically are only passive providers of information and do not aid a user in accomplishing a desired task unless specifically selected.
Although graphical user interfaces and help functions generally provide for easier use of personal computers, a number of people, especially those with little or no computer training, are still reluctant to use personal computers. For many people there is nothing intuitive about graphical user interfaces which require one to use a mouse to select icons or pull down menus. Although many office workers are familiar with keyboards, when the keyboard becomes coupled to a personal computer it can present an intimidating object insofar as cryptic commands must be entered in order to access the computer's functions.
Integrated office systems have gained some popularity among computer savvy users, however, they offer little assistance for non-computer users. In part, this is due to the fact that these integrated systems rely on preexisting forms of user interfaces which, although familiar to computer users, are completely foreign to many people. For example, although the QMS 2001 Knowledge System provides front panel controls for a user to choose the number of copies and start/stop the copying process, all other functions must be accessed through software based on the Windows operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. This operating system provides a graphical user interface that must be accessed via the keyboard and/or a cursor pointing device. For many users, this will be an intimidating prospect and one which many will avoid altogether.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an integrated office system which combines the features of traditional office equipments and a personal computer but supports a user interface which non-computer savvy users will find easy to use.